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Chapter 4
Physical, Chemical and

Biological Properties of MSW

Physical Propeties of MSW

Specific Weight (Density) Moisture Content

Particle Size and Distribution

Field Capacity Permeability of Compacted Waste

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Specific Weight (Density)

Specific weight is defined as the weight of a material per unit volume (e.g. kg/m3, lb/ft3)

Usually it refers to uncompacted waste. It varies with geographic location, season of the year, and length of time in storage.

Typical Specific Weight Values

Component Food wastes Paper Plastics Yard waste Glass Tin cans Aluminum

Specific Weight (density), kg/m3 Range 130-480 40-130 40-130 65-225 160-480 50-160 65-240 Typical 290 89 64 100 194 89 160

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Typical Specific Weight Values

Condition Loose MSW, no processing or compaction In compaction truck Baled MSW MSW in a compacted landfill (without cover)

Density (kg/m3) 90-150 355-530 710-825 440-740

Moisture Content

wd x 100 w

The moisture in a sample is expressed as percentage of the wet weight of the MSW material Analysis Procedure:

Weigh the aluminum dish Fill the dish with SW sample and re-weigh Dry SW + dish in an oven for at least 24 hrs at 105C. Remove the dish from the oven, allow to cool in a desiccator, and weigh. Record the weight of the dry SW + dish. Calculate the moisture content (M) of the SW sample using the equation given above.

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Typical Moisture Contents of Wastes

Textbook, p. 70, Table 4-1
Moisture Content, % Range 50 - 80 4 - 10 1-4 30 - 80 1-4 50 - 80 10 - 25 4 - 15 4 - 15 75 - 99 10 - 40 30 - 60 40 - 80 75 - 96 Typical 70 6 2 60 2 70 15 8 8 80 20 35 50 94

Type of Waste Food wastes (mixed) Paper Resindential Plastics Yard Wastes Glass Commercial Construction & Demolition Food wastes Rubbish (mixed) Mixed demolition combustibles Mixed construction combustibles Chemical sludge (wet) Industrial Sawdust Wood (mixed) Agricultural Mixed Agricultural waste Manure (wet)

Particle Size and Distribution

The size and distribution of the components of wastes are important for the recovery of materials, especially when mechanical means are used, such as trommel screens and magnetic separators.

Trommel Screens
http://www.aggregatepros.com/Doppst adtSM518TrommelScreen.html

For example, ferrous items which are of a large size may be too heavy to be separated by a magnetic belt or drum system.

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Particle Size and Distribution

o The size of waste components can be determined using the following equations: Sc = L Sc = (L+w)/2 Sc = (L+w+h)/3 Sc L W h : size of component, mm : length, mm : width, mm : height, mm

Field Capacity

The total amount of moisture that can be retained in a waste sample subject to the downward pull of gravity
Rain Rain

Solid waste

Field Capacity

Saturation

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Field Capacity

Field capacity is critically important in determining the formation of leachate in landfills

It varies with the degree of applied pressure and the state of decomposition of wastes, but typical values for uncompacted commingled wastes from residential and commercial sources are in the range of 50 - 60%.

Permeability of Compacted Waste

The permeability (hydraulic conductivity) of compacted solid waste is an important physical property because it governs the movement of liquids & gases in a landfill.

Permeability depends on;

Pore size distribution Surface area

Porosity

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Chemical Properties of MSW

Chemical properties of MSW are very important in evaluating the alternative processing and recovery options:

Proximate analysis Fusing point of ash Ultimate analysis (major elements) Energy content

Proximate Analysis

Proximate analysis for the combustible components of MSW includes the following tests:

Moisture (drying at 105 oC for 1 h) Volatile combustible matter (ignition at 950 oC in the
absence of oxygen)

Fixed carbon (combustible residue left after Step 2) Ash (weight of residue after combustion in an open crucible)

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Typical Proximate Analysis Values

(% by weight)
Textbook, p.78, Table 4-2

Type of Waste Mixed food Mixed paper Mixed plastics Yard wastes Glass Residential MSW

Moisture 70.0 10.2 0.2 60.0 2.0 21.0

Volatiles 21.4 75.9 95.8 42.3 52.0

Carbon 3.6 8.4 2.0 7.3 7.0

Ash 5.0 5.4 2.0 0.4 96-99 20.0

Fusing Point of Ash

Fusing point of ash is the temperature at which the ash resulting from the burning of waste will form a solid (clinker) by fusion and agglomeration. Typical fusing temperatures: 1100 - 1200 oC

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Ultimate Analysis

Involves the determination of the percent C (carbon), H (hydrogen), O (oxygen), N (nitrogen), S (sulfur) and ash. The determination of halogens are often included in an ultimate analysis. The results are used to characterize the chemical composition of the organic matter in MSW. They are also used to define the proper mix of waste materials to achieve suitable C/N ratios for biological conversion processes.

Table 4-3. Typical data on ultimate analysis of combustible materials found in SW

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Chemical composition of typical MSW

Sulfur 0,1% Ash 5,5% Metals 7,2% Glass-Ceramics 9,3% Hydrogen 3,3% Nitrogen 0,5%

Water 28%

Oxygen 21%

Carbon 25%

Typical data in elemental analysis

(% by weight)

Type Mixed food Mixed paper Mixed plastic Yard waste Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF)

C 73.0 43.3 60.0 46.0 44.7

H 11.5 5.8 7.2 6.0 6.2

O 14.8 44.3 22.8 38.0 38.4

N 0.4 0.3 3.4 0.7

S 0.1 0.2 0.3 <0.1

Ash 0.2 6.0 10.0 6.3 9.9

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Energy Content of Solid Waste

Energy content can be determined by; 1. By using a full scale boiler as a calorimeter 2. By using a laboratory bomb calorimeter 3. By calculation

Bomb Calorimeter

Most of the data on the energy content of the organic components of MSW are based on the results of bomb calorimeter tests.
http://chemistry.umeche.maine.edu/~amar/fall2007/bomb.html

Table 4-5. Inert residue and energy content of residential MSW

Inert Residue Percentage Components Organic Food wastes Paper Cardboard Plastics Textiles Rubber Leather Yard wastes Wood Misc. organics Inorganic Glass Tin cans Aluminum Other metal Dirt,ashes,etc Municipal solid waste 96-99 + 96-99 + 90-99 + 94-99 + 60-80 98 98 96 98 70 116-233 233-1163 233-1163 2326-11630 9304-13956 140 698 698 6978 11630 2-8 4-8 3-6 6-20 2-4 8-20 8-20 2-6 0.6-2 5 6 5 10 2.5 10 10 4.5 1.5 3489-6978 11630-18608 13956-17445 27912-37216 15119-18608 20934-27912 15119-19771 2326-18608 17445-19771 4652 16747 16282 32564 17445 23260 17445 6513 18608 Range Typical Range Energy, kJ/kg Typical

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Average composition and heating values for MSW

The average energy content of typical MSW is ~10,000 kJ/kg
Waste Component Paper and paper products Plastic Rubber and leather Textiles Wood Food wastes Yard wastes Glass and ceramics Metals Miscellaneous inorganic Weight % 37.8 4.60 2.20 3.30 3.00 14.2 14.6 9.00 8.20 3.10 Heating Value (MJ/kg) 17.7 33.5 23.5 32.5 20.0 15.1 17.0 0 0 0

Energy content of MSW components

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Essential nutrients & other elements

Important if organic fraction of MSW is to be used for production of compost or CH4

Biological Properties of MSW

The organic fraction of MSW (excluding plastics,rubber and leather) can be classified as:

Water-soluble constituents - sugars, starches, amino acids and various organic acids Hemicellulose - a product of 5 and 6-carbon sugars Cellulose - a product of 6-carbon sugar glucose Fats, oils and waxes - esters of alcohols and long-chain fatty acids Lignin - present in some paper products Lignocellulose - combination of lignin and cellulose Proteins - amino acid chains

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Biodegradability of MSW

The most important biological characteristic of the organic fraction of MSW is that almost all the organic components can be converted biologically to gases and relatively inert organic and inorganic solids.

The production of odours and the generation of flies

are also related to the putrescible nature of the organic materials. These will be discussed when talking about landfill processes.

Biodegradability of MSW

Volatile solids (VS), determined by ignition at 550 oC, is often used as a measure of the biodegradability of the organic fraction of MSW. Some of the organic constituents of MSW are highly volatile but low in biodegradability (e.g. Newsprint) due to lignin content. The rate at which the various components can be degraded varies markedly. For practical purposes, the principal organic waste components in MSW are often classified as rapidly and slowly decomposable.

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Biodegradable fraction of selected organic waste components

Calculation of biodegredable fraction of MSW

Component Paper and paperboard Glass Ferrous metals Aluminum Other nonferrous metals Plastics Rubber and leather Textiles Wood Other materials Food waste Yard trimmings Miscellaneous inorganic Total Percent of MSW 37.6 5.5 5.7 1.3 0.6 9.9 3.0 3.8 5.3 1.8 10.1 12.8 1.5 100 Percent of each component that is biodegredable 0.50 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.5 0.7 0.5 0.82 0.72 0.8

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Production of odors

Odors are developed when solid wastes are stored for long periods of time on-site between collections, in transfer stations, and in landfills.

It is more significant in warm climates. The formation of odors results from the anaerobic decomposition of the readily decomposable organic components found in MSW.

Physical Transformations

The principal physical transformations that may occur in the operation of solid waste management systems include:

component separation mechanical volume reduction mechanical size reduction

Physical transformations do not involve change in phase (e.g., solid to gas), unlike chemical and biological transformation.

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Chemical Transformations

Chemical transformations of solid waste typically involve a change of phase (e.g., solid to liquid, solid to gas, etc.)

To reduce the volume and/or to recover conversion products, the principal chemical processes used to transform MSW include:

Combustion (chemical oxidation) Pyrolysis Gasification

Thermal processes

Biological Transformations
The biological transformations of the organic fraction of MSW may be used; 1) to reduce the volume and weight of the material 2) to produce compost

3) to produce methane
and include: 1) aerobic composting 2) low-solids anaerobic digestion 3) high-solids anaerobic digestion (anaerobic composting)

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Importance of Transformation

Typically waste transformations are used:

to improve the efficiency of solid waste management systems

to recover reusable and recyclable materials to recover conversion products and energy

Importance of Transformation

The organic fraction of MSW can be converted to usable products and ultimately to energy in a number of ways including:

combustion to produce steam and electricity pyrolysis to produce a synthetic gas, liquid or solid

fuel, and solids

gasification to produce a synthetic fuel biological conversion to produce compost biodigestion to generate methane and to produce a stabilized organic humus

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Transformation Processes in MSW Management (Textbook, p.91, Table 4-8)

Process separation Physical Transformation volume reduction size reduction combustion Chemical Transformation pyrolysis gasification aerobic compost Biological Transformation anaerobic digestion anaerobic composting (in landfills) Method manual and/or mechanical Force or pressure Shredding, grinding, or milling thermal oxidation destructive distillation starved air combustion aerobic biological conversion anaerobic biological conversion anaerobic biological conversion Principal Conversion Products individual components found in comingled MSW original waste reduced in volume altered in form and reduced in size CO2, SO2, oxidation products, ash a variety of gases, tar and/or oil gases and inerts compost methane, CO2, trace gases, humus methane, CO2, digested waste

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